Job Description
This is a remote position.
Job Title: Lead Architect – Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Location: Remote (occasional travel to the client office in Germany required)
Start Date: ASAP
Contract Type: Freelance / Contract, Full-Time
Overview
We are seeking an experienced Lead Architect specialising in Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) to define and evolve the software architecture for a large-scale, hybrid cloud platform. The platform enables application teams to develop, deploy, and operate their software products with self-service capabilities for infrastructure, data, lifecycle management, build and delivery, and operational services. It spans both private and public cloud environments.
About the Role
The IaaS product line provides core infrastructure services—network, compute, and storage—to other product lines and tenants within the programme. This role is central to designing a modern, scalable, software-driven infrastructure layer that supports the platform’s strategic vision. You will drive technical architecture initiatives, ensure alignment across domains, and guide engineering teams in delivering secure, reliable, and maintainable solutions.
Responsibilities
Architecture Design & Development
* Design architecture for infrastructure orchestration, microservices, messaging, and discovery systems
* Develop and maintain APIs (e.g. REST with FastAPI) for infrastructure services
* Integrate asynchronous processing using Celery, RabbitMQ, or Kafka
* Establish scalable, observable, and secure service design patterns
* Apply domain-driven design principles and modern Python-based frameworks, including Pydantic
Strategic Architecture Leadership
* Lead the development of microservices-based, API-first architectures for provisioning workflows
* Model complex infrastructure relationships using graph-based approaches
* Contribute to the technical roadmap and evaluate architectural risks and enablers
Cross-Domain Alignment & Guidance
* Coordinate with product management, delivery teams, and peer architects
* Represent architecture in design forums and cross-functional reviews
* Mentor engineering teams on architecture and best practices
Implementation Oversight
* Ensure delivery of architecture-compliant solutions throughout development
* Enforce standards for observability, security (IAM/OAuth2), and reliability
* Promote clean architecture, reusable components, and maintainable codebases
Quality & Continuous Improvement
* Conduct regular architecture reviews
* Oversee documentation of designs, specifications, and RFCs
* Monitor trends in infrastructure automation, DevOps, and distributed system design to inform improvements
Requirements
Eligibility
* Residency in the EU, EEA, UK, or Switzerland
Must-Have Experience
* 7–10 years in software architecture or infrastructure platform engineering
* Strong Python engineering skills (FastAPI, Pydantic, Celery)
* Expertise in modular/distributed systems and high availability architecture
* Microservices and distributed systems design (synchronisation, replication, consensus)
* Data modelling (relational, document, graph)
* REST API design and development
* Authentication/Authorisation (IAM/RBAC/OAuth/OIDC)
* Message broker design (async/sync patterns)
* Service discovery systems and Kubernetes concepts (namespaces, services, deployments, ingress)
* Observability concepts (logs, metrics, traces) and associated tooling
* Proficiency in software architecture patterns (DDD, event-driven design)
Must-Have Language Skills
* Fluent English (C1 level or above)
Preferred Experience
* Architecture, cloud infrastructure, or security certifications (e.g. TOGAF, AWS/Azure/GCP)
* Experience with observability tools (Prometheus, Grafana, OpenTelemetry)
* Exposure to IaaS service delivery and API-first platform design
Benefits
As a freelancer / contractor with us, you will enjoy flexible working hours and the freedom to choose your own projects. Our platform gives you access to exciting projects in various industries and supports you in advancing your career. You'll benefit from competitive pay and a dedicated team to help you with any questions you may have. Work independently and utilise our strong network to achieve your professional goals.